St Johns High School - Blue Devil Yearbook (Darlington, SC)

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S WE TURN for a moment from the present and look back in memory over the years that are passed — we realize that old Father Time has wrought many changes. Today we are saying, “Backward, turn backward, 0 Time, in your flight.” We would live again those earlier years and have you, our best friends, live them with us. The year 1918 marks a great event in the history of the nations, for in November of that year the Armistice was signed. It, too, marks a great event in our lives, for in September of that year about sixty tiny tots entered for the first time St. .John’s Grammar School. Sixty wee babies toddled timidly into Miss Louise Parrott’s room. How soon we learn that things are not what they seem! We entered thinking school was one grand sweet song. But it proved otherwise. Can you ever forget, classmates, how hard it was for Roland to learn that c-a-t spells cat? Or how long it took Billie Kirven to add one and two? Those were happy days, however. We well remember the thrill the girls seemed to get out of the little plays, drills and dances which, under the guidance of our teachers, we presented from time to time. We can see them now — not the dignified Seniors in long dresses who adorn this stage, but tiny children in socks and abbreviated skirts, tripping like fairies over the grass. When we reached the sixth grade, many of our boys became Boy Scouts, or rather Tenderfeet. This indeed marked an epoch in our lives. What Scout among us would part with the experience, wisdom, and character-development derived from our training in this wonderful organization! How they crowd upon our memories — those happy Boy Scout days! In May, 1925, another great event took place in our young lives. It was then that we finished our grammar school days. Of course, we were “stuck up,” but when we entered high school we learned that we were not so big, for the upper- classmen took us down a few pegs. Beatings were not infrequent in those days, and the daily routine seemed incomplete without one. However, our life as Freshmen was far from unpleasant; it was one of the happiest of our high school career. We were invited by Mr. Gainey to learn to play some instrument under his direction and to join his noted orchestra. It was not long before our class was well represented in this organization, for Bob, Billie, Frank, Oscar, and John soon joined. And now we believe we’ve got the best high school orchestra in South Carolina. Last year it journeyed to Winthrop College and won a handsome trophy over some of the best school orchestras in the state. Another credit to our class is that it stands unusually high in scholarship. Each year we won more than our share of deltas. Seventeen

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SUE NELLE WILSON Sue Nelle has that poise of self-control which goes to make up the personality of the perfect lady that she is. Doors slam, winds blow, teachers rave, pupils weep, yet Sue Nelle remains calm and serene. Juniors, follow her and you’ll carry your Senior dig- nity in the correct manner. St. John’s Literary Society: Glee Club. ’29; Local Editor Bulletin, '28. SUE WOODS Sue’s conversation is composed largely of giggles. She will marry a man because she can say sw et nothings. Sue likes people easily and people like her easily, and so life is sure to run smoothly for her. Member St. John’s Literary Society, '26: Mem- ber Lanier. ’28: Vice President Lanier. ’29: Basket-ball, ’25. ’20; Chairman Program Com- mittee Lanier, ’29. Sixteen

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We shall never forget our science course under Miss Wilson, when we ran our tongues out chasing butterflies and other insects, and went on nature hikes. Truly we were all “bugologists.” September, 1926, saw us enter our Sophomore year, and then we had our chance at the Freshmen; and we took it. We still chased butterflies, Miss Pettis said, too frequently in her History class. Our girls now began to plan to be good housewives and, under the direction of Mrs. Dargan and Miss Hughes, have developed into model cooks and seamstresses. Although the boys were not often filled with the culinary triumphs the girls achieved — these dainties going as propitiatory offerings to teachers — they were filled with pride when they saw the girls of our class parading in a school or county fashion show. Of course, we were much sought after by the upper-classmen as addition to their literary societies. We made them proud of us, for we had among our midst several would-be famous declaimers and debaters, such as Hazel, John, and Bob. Some think that Bob acquired his persuasive eloquence by practice on the teachers, to whom he so often endeavored to prove that right was wrong, and wrong right, and that Bob Lumiansky was not an offender but a benefactor to mankind. Be that as it may, we were always glad to have Bob orate, and have persuaded him to give you a sample of his eloquence. So passed our Sophomore year. Athletics drew our attention more when we became Juniors, and Frank, Hazel, Ernest, John, Lit and Bob made block letters. A great many of the girls of our class came out for the basketball team, also. It was in this year, too, that we struggled through Plane Geometry and Physics. And another event to be remembered was the picnic we gave the Seniors. It was a howling success. We all howled for more until the eats were exhausted, while Willie, Frank, Lit, and Bob howled all the night after — for reasons which may be better understood than expressed. The Junior year passed and we found ourselves entering the last lap of the race. It was hard to realize we were dignified Seniors, but it was thus that we found ourselves in September, 1928 — the class of ’29 in reality. Then it was that we lent ourselves to the tasks assigned us with the ardor of boys and girls who were preparing for facing life in an entirely different atmosphere. We chose the following officers to steer the ship of ’29 through our last year: President, Hugh Dargan; Vice President, John Kilgo; Secretary, Mary Ware; Treas- urer, Hannah Sue Coker. To edit our publications we chose, for The Bulletin, Bob Lumiansky and Hazel Byrd; for the Magazine, Blanche Dennis. During our Senior year, St. John’s Glee Club was formed, under the direction of Miss Osteen. Four members were sent to the All-State Glee Club in Columbia in March. Thus was supplied a long-felt need at St. John’s, and thus was realized one of the dreams of our principal. May our Glee Club sing on forever! The Senior Play, “The Go-Getter,” was a great success, the chorus giving a real Spanish atmosphere. It was indeed such a success that it was given the second time under the auspices of the American Legion Auxiliary. Perhaps no part of the play gave more pleasure or received more applause than the dance of the peasant girls in the first scene. Of the sixty-odd who entered the first grade and the many more who joined us from year to year, less than half have stood the test of time and labor. These we present to you now — the Class of ’29! j.'iphttcn ALBERT COUCH, ’29